Tuschman Exhibit: "Faces of Courage" Opens at The Hun School

3/28/2016

Faces of Courage, a photographic exhibit by Mark Tuschman opened in the Wilf Family Global Commons at The Hun School on Thursday, March 24th. The exhibit is a collection of work documenting disadvantaged women from the developing world. The gallery opening featured class visits and presentations from the artist followed by a book sale and reception. The exhibit is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. or by appointment through May 13th.

Mr. Tuschman’s work tells the story of women around the world who are denied basic human rights like health care, education, freedom, and justice. But it also tells stories of triumph, education, and the impact of micro-finance. They are child brides, sex workers, victims of domestic abuse, health care workers, and entrepreneurs. The collection is also the subject of an award-winning book, Faces of Courage: Intimate Portraits of Women on the Edge, produced in 2015 with the help of a Kickstarter Campaign.

The collection is a decade long project, a lifetime in the making. Mr. Tuschman explained, “I think growing up in Brooklyn made me sensitive to the plight of individuals less fortunate.”

Mr. Tuschman was deeply affected after visiting a women’s shelter in Ulan Bator, Mongolia in 2001. He decided then, to dedicate himself and his photography, to helping to bring women’s rights to the forefront of the world’s attention. First, he began working to document conditions for various non-profits and NGO’s. But somewhere along the journey, the project became his and the voice became theirs.

“I wanted to tell the stories of these women as accurately as possible. My mission now, is to educate young people and to help create more activists.”

“I first made my living as a commercial portrait photographer,” Mr. Tuschman told audiences on Thursday. “It satisfied my wallet, but not my soul. Photography should be used to raise consciousness and promote social justice.”

The Hun School of Princeton is an independent, coeducational, private day and boarding college preparatory school. Student-centered, hands-on learning prepares students for the global community in which they will live and work.